MALDI-MSI is normally used to map different molecules within tissue sections.

This is the first time the technology has been used to analyse and produce images of fingermarks.

The technology detects any substances a suspect might have touched, providing crucial additional details about them such their medications, diet and the time at which they left the fingermark.

These extra details can offer important background information in a criminal investigation, especially if the suspect's fingerprint is not in the police database.

Now experts can detect whether a person has taken drugs, if they have cosmetics or cleaning products on their hands, if they have drunk coffee or touched a certain brand of condom lubricant.

Sheffield Hallam University researchers have been working with the police force for five years.

The Home Office has given £80,000 to help fund the project with the hope that all police forces in the UK will eventually use it.

Senior technical specialist Stephen Bleay said: "There's a lot of scientific work going on, with Sheffield Hallam University and West Yorkshire Police visiting crime scenes looking at how this technique could fit in with the workflow of collecting conventional forensic evidence and other types of evidence, such as DNA and fibres.